Empty Heart, Chipped Cup
by kericobarbossa
Summary: Mr. Gold takes an unwanted trip to the hospital and the unexpected happens.  My first fic for the Rumbelle War on Tumblr!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This was written for the Rumbelle War effort on Tumblr. I love you guys, but I hope I rip your heart out. 3  
>~teamaequitas<strong>

~.~.~.~

"Are you sure you want her let out, Madame Mayor?" the orderly in charge of keeping the mentally ill girl locked up asked.

"Yes," Regina said slowly, and then smiled knowingly, "Yes, let her out. Let her spend time in the recreational room, eat in the cafeteria, and even walk outside in the garden. I think it's time for her release." Regina chuckled and walked away. The orderly shrugged and went to let the strange girl out.

~.~.~.~

Mr. Gold had been released from jail on the condition that he must apologize to Mr. French. As much as it pained him to do so, he really hated being locked up. So, he hobbled down to the hospital to apologize, thinking it was a good thing that he was a good liar.

When he arrived, he entered the hospital only to see that the wing to the physical trauma patients was blocked off.

"I need to go down that hallway," Gold told the lady at the front-desk.

"Oh, terribly sorry, Mr. Gold," she said to him, "We're having construction done on that hallway; you'll have to go the long way around through the mental ward." Gold was irritated to say the least, but proceeded towards the mental ward with a huff.

As he walked through the recreational room for the mental patients, he tried not to look at the drooling patients attempting dominos or watching old television programs. He kept his eyes forward and head up until he heard a voice, an all too familiar voice.

"Hey!" his heart skipped a beat and his feet stopped moving. _Impossible._

"Hey!" he heard again and felt a soft hand tug on his arm. He turned around to see the beautiful face of the girl he'd thought long dead.

"B-B-" he stuttered in disbelief, unable to get out words.

"I know you," the girl said in a strange voice with a twisted smile. "Yeah! You're… You're… Hahahaha!" she burst into laughter as Gold simply stared, utterly baffled.

The girl began to sway back and forth, humming. Her knotted hair fell about her face. "Uh-oh! It's chipped!" she laughed again, maniacally.

"Belle, what—," Gold was sure he would have fell if not for his cane. He attempted to touch her face but she dodged him and pointed a scolding finger at him.

"You just want to learn the monster's weaknesses! Eh? Eh?" she said with an insane accent that didn't suit her. Her eyes were wild. What had this world done to his Belle?

"Belle, please. I'm so sorry," he extended his arm to touch her face, she didn't move this time. He cupped her cheek and as he ran his thumb over it, her eyes widened at him. He had the smallest flicker of hope, but it was quickly extinguished as Belle let out an ear piercing scream.

"_AAAHHH_!" she screeched and jerked her head away from him, causing an orderly to take notice. "No!" she shouted.

"Belle, please!" Gold pleaded, his heart twisting.

"Shut up! Shut the hell up! No one! No one can ever, ever love me!" the crazed girl screamed and fell to the floor. Just then the orderly stepped in front of Mr. Gold, urging him to leave.

"I think you'd better leave, Mr. Gold," the orderly said.

"No! No, wait!" Gold pleaded, but another orderly took him by the arm to lead him away.

"Come on, Mr. Gold. She's not sane, we need to give her her shots," the other orderly stated. As they walked away, Gold craned his head with an anguished look and saw the first orderly bend down to the girl with a syringe in hand. As she rocked back and forth, he thought her could hear her chanting:

"_Empty heart, chipped cup. Empty heart, chipped cup. Empty heart, chipped cup_."

~.~.~.~

**A/N: So? What'd you think? It's my first Rumbelle fic, so I hope it served the Rumbelle War honorably. –bows- Haha, thanks for reading! 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Since I got such a positive response from the first chapter (YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING) and some wanted more, I wrote some more! This is way longer to make up for the previous shorty. I really hope you enjoy it! I might add more depending on the response. The Rumbelle War rages on…  
>~teamaequitas<strong>

~.~.~.~

Gold was _not_ going to apologize to Moe French. Not after what just happened. As the orderly led him down the hallway, away from his now sedated Belle, he demanded to be let go of and exited through a side door of the hospital. He knew Regina was behind this. Gold walked as fast as he could towards City Hall, shoving people out of his way that were too slow and ignoring the pain in his leg. When he reached City Hall, he burst through Regina's office doors.

"You heartless snake!" Gold all but shouted at her. Regina sat coolly behind her desk, reading papers.

"Mr. Gold, so nice of you to knock before you entered. Please, come in," Regina stated, not even looking at him.

"You knew she was in there. You _knew_ they were keeping her locked up!" Gold said in a lower voice, but still furious.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she stated with the slightest smirk.

"Oh, I think you do. Belle! Belle's been trapped in that hospital this _whole time_!"

"Ah, yes. The insane girl. She's in there for her own go-"

"**I thought she was dead!"** Gold shouted. He paused to recompose himself and added, "You _told me_ she was _dead_."

Regina smirked. "Dead in our home land, sure. But I never said she was dead here."

Gold's face was stern. "I'm taking her out of there. She's coming home with me."

Regina scoffed. "She's a patient at that hospital. You can't just take her out."

"I _own_ the hospital, Regina. I'll take out whoever I damn-well please," he stated strongly and turned to exit her office. Before walking out the door, he turned on his heels to face her again. "Oh, and one more thing: I never got around to apologizing to Mr. French, so I'm going to need you to write him a nice apology letter for me….Please."

~.~.~.~

At the reception desk Gold told the woman behind it that the estranged girl from earlier would be released into his care.

"Uh-Uhm… Okay. Yes, Mr. Gold," the woman stammered and disappeared into a back room. Later, a doctor emerged without Belle.

"Mr. Gold, the patient is still heavily sedated. She probably won't even start to come around for another three hours or so," he said, nervously. Gold's patience was wearing thin.

"Then put her in a wheelchair and bring her to me," Gold said through his teeth. "She _will_ be released to me, and that will be happening _now_."

"Yes, Mr. Gold," the doctor said and walked away. Moments later, he returned pushing a wheelchair with a sleeping Belle in it. They'd put a dark blue blanket over her and given her a small, white pillow for neck support. "Now, here are her medications, Mr. Gold," the doctor said, handing him two little white bottles with complicated names on them. "She's known for having tantrums and-"

"Yes, yes," Gold interrupted the man, snatching the pills from him and shoving them into his pocket. "Thank you," he sneered. He tucked his cane beside Belle, and rolled Belle out the door, using the wheelchair for support.

As he pushed her through town, many people looked at them, but tried to avert their eyes, for fear of confrontation with Mr. Gold. _They'll think all they want_, he thought, _but no one will dare say anything._

Getting Belle into his home proved quite the challenge. Gold had many stairs to his home, but was lacking a ramp. Getting Belle's wheelchair up the stairs proved an impossible feat, so he was forced to lean her dead-weight against him while he leaned on the railing and pull them both up. Gold's leg hurt worse than it ever had and he cursed it the whole way up. Before Regina's curse, he'd had no problems holding Belle; carrying her up the stairs would have been a breeze. But this was not his world, and he did not have The Dark One's powers. He was a lame man who couldn't even carry his woman up some stairs.

After what seemed like years of torture, they finally made it to his doorway. He hobbled as fast as he could to his couch, and laid Belle down as gently as possible. He sat down in the chair adjacent to the couch and relished the feeling of relief in his leg. He hadn't worked that hard for anyone in this life. But she was worth the pain. She was here, in his home, sleeping on his couch, _alive_. He thought that last word over and over again. He smiled to himself, a genuine smile for the first time in a long time. But another shot of pain surged through his leg, turning the smile into a grimace. He reached for the bottle of pain killers on his coffee table and dry swallowed two of the pills. Gold propped his bum leg up on the coffee table and rubbed it. He stared at Belle's sleeping form and soon found himself drifting away.

~.~.~.~

Mr. Gold awoke later, feeling chilled. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and felt a surge of panic when his vision cleared to reveal an empty couch. He felt even more panic, noticing the door was open, causing the draft.

_Oh, God!_ he thought, _I didn't shut the door! What if she's run off? If Regina finds her… What have I done? Not again. I won't lose her again. _Gold's thoughts raced as he grabbed a spare cane and stood.

"Belle!" he shouted, "Belle, please are you here?" He walked towards the open door, looking out into the night. "Belle!" _Dammit!_ Gold reached for his coat but stopped when he heard a voice behind him.

"No shouting!" Gold whirled around to see Belle at the top of the stairs, scolding him.

"Belle," he said, barely audible as relief washed over him. He shut and locked the door behind him and flipped on a light to see her better. She was still in her hospital gown, hair a mess, but was wearing his black leather gloves, a black scarf, and some black socks that reached her mid-shins. And she was beautiful.

"Belle, please come down from there," he said to her, his knee begging him not to go up any more stairs today.

"No, it's too cold down there," she said. "And I like it up here. There's treasure!" She smiled a big, childlike grin and Gold couldn't help but smile with her.

"There's treasure down here too, dearie," he bargained, desperately hoping he wouldn't have to go get her. "I can show you some of my most special treasures, if you'd like." Belle gasped.

"Where?" she grinned.

"You'll have to come down here, so I can show you." Before he knew it, Belle was at his side, tugging at his sleeve.

"Show me the treasures!"

Gold took her into the kitchen to look at his nicest china. He opened the china cabinet door and took pleasure in her long _Ooooh! _

"Pretty," she breathed, picking up a small, decorative sugar bowl.

"Careful, dearie," Gold cooed, enjoying their close proximity. She nodded and set the bowl down. Her attention then turned to the main tea pot, and she smiled.

"Mrs. Potts," she giggled. Gold furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at her, but quickly grew concerned when he saw her pick up a cup. _The_ cup. Belle drew in a breath and didn't show any signs of letting it out as she examined it. Gold wasn't sure how to react.

"Do…Do you remember, Belle?" he asked, putting a soft hand on her shoulder.

"Chipped," she whispered. She started shaking her head. "Chipped," she said louder. Gold felt her shoulders start to heave. He saw tears brimming in her eyes. _Oh no_, he thought and took the cup from her hands. Then the screams came.

Belle fell to the floor, screaming and crying. She covered her ears and shook her head as if to shake away the bad memories. The bad memories _he_ gave her. Each scream pierced his heart. He briefly felt the presence of the pills in his pocket the doctor had given him. _No_. She doesn't need that poison. He can fix this.

"PLEASE DON'T SEND ME AWAY," she wailed. Gold knelt beside her, the pain in his heart taking away the pain in his leg.

"Shh, Belle, please," he tried to calm her, feeling himself on the verge of his own tears. She continued to wail and sob. The pills once again made themselves known in his pocket, but he refused. He moved to sit and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in close. Her screams did not cease. _She's known for having tantrums_, the doctor's voice rang in his head.

"Please, Belle. Calm down, my love," he cooed, choking back tears. He tucked her head under his chin, and with the arm that wasn't around her shoulder, he stroked her hair. "Please, I'm so sorry," he said, a few tears finally spilling over. "I'm so sorry, Belle. Forgive me, please. Shhh." Within a few moments that seemed like an eternity, Belle's screams had turned into heavy breathing and her sobs had died down. Gold noticed he had been rocking her while he was breathing random apologies and kind words to her. He stopped rocking, hearing her silence, and quickly wiped his face clear of any tears before looking at her.

He tucked a finger under her chin to turn her face towards him. Their eyes met and they said nothing for a long while. Her eyes were still her crystalline blue, but were red and puffy on the outside from crying. She blinked and her last tear fell onto her cheek. Gold wiped it away with his thumb. Belle smiled, infecting him with his own smile.

"I'm sleepy now," she said, bringing Gold back to reality. He blinked a few times, and looked at the clock. 12:15 a.m. He could hardly believe the time and suddenly felt his own drowsiness sweep over him. He nodded, and they stood up together.

~.~.~.~

Gold had many extra rooms in his large home, but most were either bare or full of junk from his pawn shop. He had one livable guest room, and decided that's where she would sleep. Tomorrow he would get her some normal clothing and other necessities. He slowly walked her to her room, which was upstairs, across from his room.

"You can sleep in this room, dear," he said opening the door for her. She looked around the room a bit and turned to him.

"You sleep here too? With me?" she asked. Gold drew in a breath and let it out with a slight chuckle.

"Aha. No, dearie. I think you'd best sleep alone. I'll just be in that room over there," he said pointing towards his room. When he turned back to her, she was shaking her head again.

"No, please," she said. He could see the tears starting in her eyes again. "Please. Always sleep alone. I hate alone and dark and cold and scared. Please, no more. I can sleep with you, please," Belle was on the edge of hysterics, furiously shaking her head, tears falling. Gold couldn't take another tantrum right now, and the thought of her alone and afraid in a dark cell in that hospital made him feel terrible.

"Okay, okay," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Shh, okay. You can sleep with me. It's fine." He didn't _dis_like the idea. Belle took in a deep breath and let it out nosily with a smile.

"And you can fight the monsters," she said.

"Any monsters that try to hurt you while I'm around are going to have a bad day," he smiled, but meant every word.

In his room, Gold rummaged through his dresser for some pajamas Belle could wear. He found a pair of blue flannel pajama pants, and the button up, long-sleeved top to match it. He figured they might be a little big on her, but not too bad.

"Here," he said, handing her the pajamas. "You can wear these for tonight. They'll be warmer than your hospital gown, anyway." She smiled and took them. He grabbed his own pajamas and walked into his bathroom to change. When he was done, he exited to find Belle in the pajamas, but her top was completely unbuttoned. She walked over to him with a frustrated look.

"I can't do the buttons," she huffed. "Help?" she asked, pulling both side of the shirt towards him, completely exposing her breasts.

Gold's eyes widened and he coughed, trying to look away. He felt his face turning red, yet Belle seemed completely unaffected. "Ahem, uhm.. Yes. Okay," he said trying to compose himself. He turned back to her to see her still holding out the shirt with a smile.

His hands nervously fumbled with the buttons of the shirt as he desperately tried to control his body's response to her bare chest in front of him. He was concentrating on pushing any of _those_ thoughts away. He certainly wasn't noticing the feel of her breasts under his hand as he fastened the top buttons, or her beautiful, flat stomach as he fastened the mid buttons, or how close his hands were to her pants as he fastened the bottom buttons. No, he certainly didn't notice any of those things.

"Well," he said hoarsely, then cleared his throat. "Well, there you are." He attempted a nonchalant smile. Belle smiled an unaffected "Thank you" and went to the bed.

Gold flipped off the lights, making the moonlight streaming through his curtains the only light in the room. He crawled into bed with her, and as he settled into his pillow, he noticed her staring at him.

"What?" he asked nervously, noticing the way the moonlight highlighted her soft features.

"You look different than the you in my dreams," she sighed. Gold chuckled.

"Do I?"

"Yes," Belle nodded. "I think the you in my dreams is handsome too. Both handsome." Gold stared at her, his thoughts swimming at the possibility of her remembering their past life. Belle leaned in closer to him, looking in his eyes. "Your eyes are different, but still have the same sad in them. That's how I know it's you. Same sad eyes."

Gold was honestly at a lost for words, he just stared at her beautiful face, still disbelieving she was here. Upon finding nothing meaningful to say, he leaned in and kissed her soft forehead.

"Goodnight, Belle."


End file.
